11-oxygenated-4, 17 (20)-pregnadien-21-al-20-ol-3-one and its derivatives



United States Patent 11-OXYGENATED-4,17(20)-PREGNADIEN-21-AL-20- OL-3-0NE AND ITS DERIVATIVES Roger E. Beyler, Westfield, N. J., assignor to Merck & Co., Inc., Railway, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey No Drawing. Continuation of application Serial No. 565,768, February 16, 1956. This application April 25, 1956, Serial No. 580,474

26 Claims. (Cl. 260-39745) 4,l7(20)-pregnadien-2l-al-20-ol 3-one which can be con.

verted to the corresponding 20-ester by reacting with an acylating agent. The latter compounds can be produced directly by simultaneously enolizing and acylating the 1l oxygenated-4-pregnen-21-al-3,20-dione or its hydrate. These pregnadiene aldehydes can be modified in physical properties, such as solubility, by converting to aldehyde addition products such as acetals, acylates and the like. These pregnadiene aldehydes and their derivatives have cortisone-like activity and can be compounded and used in a manner similar to cortisone.

By the term ll-oxygenated, as used herein, is meant a compound wherein a keto group or a hydroxy group is attached to the ll-carbon atom.

The reactions of the invention can be chemically illustrated, as an example when using 11-oxygenated-4-pregnen-21-al-3,20-dione as the starting material, as follows:

an as (Q? 0Q? m a at l RIIIOH Patented June 11, 1957 ice wherein R is C=O, or

R and R" are hydrocarbon groups and can be the same or ditferent groups, and R' is an alkyl group.

The compounds prepared by these processes which are new compounds have the formulawherein R is hydrogen or hydrate is reacted with an enolizing agent to produce the corresponding 11 oxygenated-4,17 (20)-pregnadien-21-a1- 20-ol3-one. The enolizing agent is preferably a mixture of an organic carboxylic acid and a tertiary-amine. The carboxylic acid is most conveniently a mono-basic organic carboxylic acid containing from one to six carbon atoms. Typical examples of suitable carboxylic acids are acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, valeric acid and caproic acid. The tertiary-amine is preferably a high boiling amine since it simplifies reaction conditions. Examples of suitable tertiary-amines are pyridine, quinoline, the collidines, diethylaniline and dimethylaniliue. The tertiary-amine preferably containing from five to ten carbon atoms can serve as the reaction medium or the reaction can be carried out in other organic solvents such as ethers, aromatic hydrocarbons, chlorinated hydrocarbons and the like as for example dioxane, dimethoxyethane, benzene, toluene and chloroform. The aliphatic carboxylic acid is preferably present in about 20 to by weight, and the tertiary-amine is present in about 20 to 80% by weight. The reaction is preferably carried out at about 20 to C., although higher and lower temperatures can be used. Within this preferred temperature range, with the preferred reactants, the reaction usually requires from a few minutes to four hours for completion. The product can be recovered in any conventional manner, as for example by pouring into ice cold hydrochloric acid or aqueous sodium bicarbonate and extracting with an organic solvent such as dichloromethane, trichloromethane and ethylacetate and removing the solvent from the desired product such as by distillation.

The ll-oxygenated 4,17(20) pregnadien-2l-al-20-ol- 3-one is reacted with an acylating agent to produce the corresponding 20-acylate. Suitable acylating agents are acid halides such as acid chlorides, acid anhydrides and others, with acid anhydrides being preferred. The acylating agents are preferably those containing from one to eleven carbon atoms inclusive. Typical examples of such acids are formic, acetic, propionic, butyric, valeric, hexanic, heptanic, octanic, carbocyclic acids such as, cyclopentanecarboxylic and cyclopentylpropionic, benzoic, toluic, oxalic and the like. The acids can also contain substituents such as halogen, alkyl, alkoxy and others which are non-reactive under the reaction conditions employed. It is usually preferred to use a large excess of acylating agent of at least two moles and to carry out the reaction in the presence of tertiary-amine such as pyridine, quinoline, the collidines, diethylaniline and dimethylaniline. The tertiary-amine can act as the reaction medium or the reaction can be carried out in a suitable solvent such as aromatic hydrocarbons, chlorinated hydrocarbons and the like. The reaction is preferably carried out at: a temperature of 20 to 100 (3., although higher and lower temperatures can be used. The reaction requires from a few minutes to twenty hours for completion when using the preferred reaction temperature and reactants. The product can be recovered in any conventional manner, as for example by extraction with an organic solvent, and then removing the solvent such as by evaporation. Suitable examples of the acylates which can be prepared in this manner are the acetate, chloracetate, propionate, butyrate, tertiary-butylacetate, trimethyl acetate, valerate, hexanate, heptanate, octanate, benzoate, p-methoxybenzoate, phenyl acetate, p-aminobenzoate, hydrocinnanate and hemisuccinimate.

The 11-oxygenated-4-pregnen-21-al3,20-dione or its hydrate can be converted to the 20-acylate of ll-oxygenated-4,17(20)-pregnadien-21-al-20-ol-3-one by simultaneously enolizing and acylating. This is accomplished by combining the enolizing and acylating agents described above in a single reaction medium. As an example, using the preferred reaction, and aliphatic carboxylic acid containing from one to six carbon atoms, an organic acid anhydride and a tertiary-amine are combined and contacted with the 1l-oxygenated-4-pregnen-2l-al-3,20-dione or its hydrate. This reaction is preferably carried out at a temperature of. about 20 to 100 C. At this temperature the reaction usually requires from a few minutes to five hours for completion. The product is recovered in any of the conventional manners such as by extraction with an organic solvent and removing the solvent from the desired product by distillation.

The ll-oxygenated-4,l7(20)-pregnadien-21 al-ZO-ol-S- one and corresponding ZO-acylates can be converted to ZI-acetals by reaction the aldehyde with an. alcohol such as one containing less than seven carbon atoms as for example methanol, propano'l, butanol, hexanol and the like in the presence of an acid or a base. Suitable acids are mineral acids such as hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid and sulfuric acid. Suitable bases are alkali metal and alkaline earth metal hydroxides, carbonates and lower alkoxides such as sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, barium hydroxide, sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate, sodium ethoxide, potassium methoxide and sodium proponoxide. Typical of such products are 21, 2l-dimethoxy-4-pregnene-llfi-ol-3,20-dione; 21,21- diethoxy-4-pregnene-1l5-ol-3,20-dione and 21,21 d-ipropionoxy-4-pregnene-1 l ;3ol-3,20-'dione.

The 20-acylates of 11-oxygenated-4,17(20)-pregnadien- 2l-al-20-ol-3-one can be further acylatedto form the corresponding 21,2l-diacylate. Suitable acylating agents are organic acids. The acylating agent preferably contains from one to eleven carbon atoms inclusive. Typical examples of such acids are formic, acetic, propionic, butyric, Valerie. ani h p n octanic. carbocy li acids such as cyclopentanecarboxylic and cyclopentyl'propioni'c,v belt hydrocarbons, chlorinated hydrocarbons and the like.

The reaction is preferably carried out at a temperature of about 0 C. The reaction requires a few minutes for completion when using, the preferred reaction temperature and reactants. The product can be recovered. in any conventional manner, as for exampleby extraction with an organic solvent, and then removing the solvent such as by evaporation. Suitable examples of the acylates which can be prepared in this manner are the acetate, chloracetate, propionate, butyrate, tertiary-butylacetate,

trimethyl acetate, valerate, hexanate, heptanate, octanate,

benzoate, p-methoxybenzoate, phenyl acetate, p-aminobenzoate, hydrocinnanate and hemisuccinimate. Typical examples of the compounds which can be prepared are 20,21,21-triacetylate of 4,17(20) pregnadien llfi,20,2l,

2l-tetrol-3-one; 4,l7(20) -pregnadien 1l 5t,20,2l,21-tetrol- 3-one-20-acetate-20,21,21 dipropionate; 4,17(20) pregnadien-ll,8,20,21,21 tetrol-3-one-20-acetate-21,2l diben zoate and 4,17 (20 -pregnadien-1 1,6,20,2L2 l-tetrol-3-one 20,21,21-tribenzoate.

The following examples are given for the purposes of illustration:

EXAMPLE 1 4,] 7(20) -pregmzdien-21-al-20-0l-3,1 1 -a'i0ne Three hundred milligrams of 4-pregnen-2l-al-3-l1,20- trione were dissolved in 1 ml. of pyridine and 1 ml. of acetic acid and heated at 60 C. for two hours. The mixture was poured into ice-2.5 N hydrochloric acid and extracted. with methylene chloride several times. The

combined extract was washed with dilute hydrochloric acid, aqueous sodium bicarbonate and water. After drying with magnesium sulfate the methylene chloride was distilled 0E. The residual oil contained about 30% of 4,17(20)-pregnadien-21-al-20-ol-3,1l-dione as indicated by the absorption at about 280 m EXAMPLE 2 4,17-pregnadien-2]-al-20-0l-3,11-dione-20-acctate The product prepared in Example 1 was dissolved in 1 ml. of pyridine and 1 ml. of acetic, anhydride and kept at room temperature for 15 hours. It was poured into water-methylene chloride, separated, and the methylene chloride layer Washed with dilute hydrochloric acid and aqueous sodium bicarbonate, dried and concentrated. The entire residue was chrom'atographed on silica gel to give the 4,l7-pregnadien-2l-al-20-ol-3,ll-dione-ZO-acetate. Melting point 226-232 C. Its infrared spectrum contained bands at 5.69, 5.85, 5.98, 6.18

EXAMPLE 3 4,17-pregnadien-21-al-20-0l-3,II-dione-ZO-acetate Fifty-four milligrams of the hydrate of 4-pregnen- 2l-al-3,l1,20-trione was dissolved in 0.5 cc. pyridine, 0.5 cc. acetic acid and 0.5 cc. acetic anhydride. The mixture was heated at 60 C. for 2.5 hours. It was poured into ice water and extracted with methylene chloride. The methylene chloride was washed with water, dilute hydrochloric acid, aqueous sodium bicarbonate, dried with magnesium sulfate and concentrated. The residue was crystallized with acetone-ether to give 4,17-pregnadien- 21-al-20-ol-3,1l-dione-20-acetate.

EXAMPLE 4 4,1 7-pregnadiene-1 1,8,20-di0l-21-al-3-0ne acetate To 100 mg. of 4-pregnene-3,20-dione-11,2i1-diol in 5 ml. of methanol was added 5 m1. of methanol containing 150 mg. of copper acetate and one drop of acetic acid. The mixture was heated for five minutes on the steam bath and decanted from copper oxide. The solution was concentrated in vacuo, water and ether added, andthe ether extract washed once more with water. Evaporation of the ether gave 102 mg. of residue. Acetone-ether trituration gave crystalline 4-pregnen-21-al- 3,20-dine-11,21-diol hydrate, melting point 132-138 C.

A total of 33 mg. of crude 4-pregnen-21-al-3,20-dione- 11,2l-diol similarly prepared was added to 2 ml. each of pyridine, acetic and acetic anhydride. After heating for three hours at 60 C. the mixture was poured into ice-dilute hydrochloric acid and extracted immediately with methylene chloride. The extract was washed with acetic acid, sodium bicarbonate and water, dried and evaporated. The residual oil was chromatographed on ten grams of silica gel. From the ether-chloroform efiluent (9:1) the 20-acetate of 4,17(20)-pregnadien-2l-al- 1113,20-dio1-3-one was obtained, melting point 2l3217 C.

EXAMPLE 5 Five hundred mg. of ZO-acetate of 4,17()-pregnadien- 21-a1-20-ol-3,11-dione was dissolved in ml. of methanol, 1.25 ml. of concentrated hydrochloric acid added and the mixture allowed to stand overnight at room temperature. Addition of water gave crystals, melting point 153-l57 C. Recrystallization from methylene chlorideether gave pure 21,21-dimethoxy-4-pregnen-3,11,20- trione.

EXAMPLE 6 EXAMPLE 7 One hundred mg. of ZO-acetate of 4,17(20)-pregnadien- 2l-al-3,ll,20-trione in 5 ml. of methanol was added to 0.54 ml. 1.3 N sodium hydroxide. The mixture was allowed to stand for 17 minutes at 0 C. Removal of part of the methanol in vacuo and addition of water yielded ca. of 2l,2l-dimethoxy-4,17(20)-pregnadiene-3,1l, 20-trione, melting point ISO-152 C.

EMMPLE 8 A 0.25% topical ointment of 4,17-pregnadiene-11fi, 20-diol-2l-al-3-one-20-acetate was prepared as follows:

4,17 pregnadiene-l15,20-diol-21-al-3-one-20-acetate 0.0025 Zinc stearate 0.0855 Propylene glyc l 0.3070 Carbowax 1500 0.3800 Carbowax 4000 0.0450 Distilled water 0.0450

Melt the carbowaxes and with stirring add the propylene glycol, zinc stearate, the steroid and water. Pass the resulting ointment through a roller mill using cold rollers until the ointment is smooth. The resulting ointment is especially suited for dermatologic use.

An 0.5% ointment is prepared by increasing the amount of steroid and proportionately decreasing the amount of zinc stearate in the ointment. Other suitable ointments may be prepared bysubstitutingone of the active steroids described in the preceding examples.

Any departure from the above description which conforms to the present invention is intended to be included within the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A process which comprises reacting ll-oxygenated- 4-pregnen-21-al-3,20-dione with an enolizing agent comprising an organic carboxylic acid containing less than seven carbon atoms and a tertiary-amine to produce 11- oxygenated-4,17(20)-pregnadien-21-al-20-ol-3-one.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the enolizing agent is a mixture of acetic acid and pyridine.

3. The process of claim 2 wherein the reaction is carried out at a temperature of about 20 to 100 C.

4. A process which comprises reacting ll-oxygenated- 4,l7(20)-pregnadien-21-al-20-ol-3-one with an acylating agent wherein the acyl residue of the agent is derived from a carboxylic acid containing less than twelve carbon atoms to produce the corresponding 20-acylated derivative of 11-oxygenated-4,17(20)-pregnadien 21eal- 20-01-3-one.

5. The process of claim 4 wherein the acylating agent is an organic acid anhydride.

'6. The process of claim 4 wherein the acylating agent is acetic acid anhydride.

7. The process of claim 6 wherein the reaction is carried out in the presence of a tertiary-amine.

8. The process of claim 6 wherein the reaction is carried out at a temperature of about 20 to C.

9. The process of claim 7 wherein the tertiary-amine is pyridine.

10. A process which comprises reacting ll-oxygenated- 4-pregnen-2l-al-3,20-dione with an enolizing agent comprising an organic carboxylic acid containing less than seven carbon atoms and a tertiary amine, and an acylating agent wherein the acyl residue of the agent is derived from a carboxylic acid containing less than twelve carbon atoms to produce the corresponding 20-acylate of 11- oxygenated-4, 17 (20) -pregnadien-2l-al-20-al-3-one.

11. The process of claim 10 wherein the acylating agent is an organic acid anhydride.

12. The process of claim 11 wherein the enolizing agent is a mixture of acetic acid and pyridine and the acylating agent is acetic anhydride.

13. The process of claim 12, wherein the reaction is carried out at a temperature of about 20 to C.

14. A process which comprises reacting 4-pregnen-21- al-11-ol-3,20-dione with an enolizing agent comprising an organic carboxylic acid containing less than seven carbon atoms and a tertiary amine to produce 4,17(20)-pregnadien-21-al-1 1,20-diol-3-one.

15. The process of claim 14 wherein the enolizing agent is a mixture of acetic acid and pyridine.

16. A process which comprises reacting 4,17(20) -pregnadien-Zl-al-l1,20-diol-3-one with an acylating agent wherein the acyl residue of the agent is derived from a carboxylic acid containing less than twelve carbon atomsv to produce the corresponding ZO-acylated derivative.

17. The process of claim 16 wherein the acylating agent is acetic acid anhydride.

18. A process which comprises reacting 4-pregnen-11- ol-2l-al-3,20-dione with an enolizing agent comprising an organic carboxylic acid containing less than seven carbon atoms and a tertiary amine, and an acylating agent wherein the acyl residue of the agent is derived from a carboxylic acid containing less than twelve carbon atoms to produce the corresponding 20-acylate of 4,17(20)-pregnadien-2 1-al-1 1,20-diol-3-one.

19. The process of claim 18 wherein the enolizing agent is a mixture of acetic acid and pyridine and the acylating agent is acetic anhydride.

20. Compounds selected from the group consistingof 7 24. A compound havingthe formula-F- compounds having the formula V r :e-cw R"):

HC=O V f 7 Ho I i V v v 10 0 i I Y O: wherein R'" is a hydrocarbon group containing less than I seven carbon atoms. w 25. 21,2'1-dimethoXy-4-pregnene-11p-ol-3,20-dione. 26. A therapeutic composition ada ted for topical apwher R s s l t d fr th group consisting of hy plication to areas to reduce or elimin te inflammatory or gen and irritated conditions which comprises a dermatologic ve- F hicle intermittently admixed with compounds selected 0 from the group consisting of compounds having the ll formula- -o-R' HO=O I C-QR wherein R is a hydrocarbon group containing less than 1 twelve carbon atoms; and 21,21-diacylates thereof where- HO 7 in the acyl group has the formula 1 7 so 7 0L) 7 wherein R is selected from the rou consistin of h drowherein R" is a hydrocarbon group containing less than gen and g P g y twelveearbon atoms.

21. 4,17(20)-pregnadien-21-al-l1,20-di0l-3-one. E

22. A compound having the formula wherein R is a hydrocarbon group containing less thantwelve carbon atoms; and 21,2l-diacylates thereof wherein the acyl group has the formula H0 I wherein R" is a hydrocarbon group containing less than twelve carbon atoms.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,563,247 Kendall Aug. 7, 1951 2,577,018 Kendall Dec. 4, 1951 wherein R is a hydrocarbon group containing less than 2,683,153 Kendall July 6, 1954 twelve carbon atoms. 2,684,376 Oliveto July 20, 1954 23. The ZO-acetate of 4,17(20)-pregnadien-2l-al-1l,20- 2,708,202 Pfister May 10, 1955 diol-3-o'ne. 2,732,384 Beall June 24, 1956 

1. A PROCESS WHICH COMPRISES REACTING 11-OXYGENATED4-PREGNEN-21-AL-3,20-DIONE WITH AN ENOLIZING AGENT COMPRISING AN ORGANIC CARBOXYLIC ACID CONTAINING LESS THAN SEVEN CARBON ATOMS AND A TERTIARY-AMINE TO PRODUCE 11OXYGENATED-4,17(20)-PREGNADIEN-21-AL-20-OL-3-ONE, 